‘Survey of Sambhal mosque not done in haste but on orders of advocate commissioner’

PTI Sambhal (UP): The second survey of Sambhal’s Jama Masjid was not conducted in haste but on the orders of the advocate commissioner, the lawyer of the Hindu side claimed on Wednesday. He was responding to the allegation of the mosque’s management committee that the second survey of the mosque was not conducted under court orders but solely on the directions of the district magistrate. “The decision on the second survey was not done in haste. It was done on order of the advocate commissioner,” lawyer Gopal Sharma claimed.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, president of the Shahi Jama Masjid management committee Zafar Ali had alleged that the recent survey of the mosque was carried out “unlawfully”. Sharma claimed he was also an eyewitness to the incident on Sunday. “I feel that it was preplanned. At that time, three advocates from the other side, committee members, the head of the mosque and the Imam were also present at the mosque. They also appealed for peace from the mosque. Photography was being done from the top,” he said. Sharma said the protesters also threw stones at them but as the mosque was at some height, they could reach there. “The police chased them away many times but they kept throwing bricks and stones at the police.

They also fired at the police. Many policemen were hit by pellets. All those people had their faces covered,” Sharma claimed. He said now the matter will be heard in the court on November 29 and the advocate commissioner will submit his report in presence of both the sides. On charges that draining water from the ablution tank (wazukhana) led to a confusion among those gathered outside as they believed excavation was taking place and it provoked the crowd, Sharma said it was emptied every week.